Apronless table and leg fastening therefor



Aug. 25, 1953 J. STRENG 1 2,650,148

APRONLESS TABLE AND LEG FASTENING THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1952 FIGI JNVENTOR.

BY MiJN STRENRG Q'Qw a W ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1953 J. STRENG 2,650,148

APRONLESS TABLE AND LEG FASTENING THEREFOR Filed June 28, 1952 5 sheets-sheet 2 was FIGS 9 I m W14 W49;

j 1 THW HHI QF I" INVENTOR. JAN STRENG BYMVSW ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1953 J. STRENG 2,650,148 APRONLESS TABLE AND LEG FASTENING THEREFOR Filed June 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS I8 "I I ml 20 'll'lllfl'g'l M 3 2o s E l i 5 [9 i FIGJO mmswa s I AT TORNEYS Patented Aug. 25, 1953 APRONLESS TABLE AND LEG FASTENING THEREFOR Jan Streng', Ridgefield, Conn., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., New York, N. Y

tron of Delaware a corpora- Application June 28, 1952, Serial No. 296,120 2Claims. (Cl. 311-110) This invention relates to table construction, partic larly to means of attaching legs to table bracing is not necessary.

. In the drawings;

Fig. l shows a table in perspective constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 in Fig. 1, showing chairs in dot dash outline under the table.

Fig. 3 shows a leg assembly in perspective consisting of a sub-top with two legs attached to it.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of a table with a leg assembly and its attaching means shown in dotted lines. f

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken along line 55 in Fig. 4, showing the attaching means for the legs and leg assemblies.

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4, showing the attachment of the sub-top to the top, and an auxiliary stringer extending longitudinally in the center of'the top.

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a table showing the Fig. 8 is a perspective showing the leg assembly used in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective showing the invention applied to a round top table.

Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the table shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective showing the leg assembly used in Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross section taken along line |2|2 in Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross section taken along line I3 -l3 in Fig. 10.

A table constructed according to the invention may have a. rectangular top I, as in Figs. 1 and 7, a round one l8, as in Fig. 9, or one of any other desired shape for special installation. The legs 2, in Figs. 1 and 7, and IS, in Fig. 9, are attached to sub-top 3, 20 in pairs or singly, as in Figs. 3

plane of the table top and leg end surfaces in ends of the bushings.

l3 drilled in the Bore Hl extends inwardly from the outer edge of the top between the upper n-l -h 'pre-drilled to match the positions of the bushleg assemblies, so formed, to the table top when the table is assembled at the place where it is to be used. Since the threads of the fastening screws mate with threads of equal hardness rather than with comparatively soft wood, as is frequently the case in other constructions, there is no tendency for the holes to enlarge under the working strains and allow the legs to become loose. The large diameter and parallel sides of the bushings, compared with the tapered wood screws of other constructionsofiers a large area of smooth surface to the wood in which it is imbedded, distributing the transmitted stresses more widely and evenly, with none of the cutting action of the wood screws; The stresses on the legs are distributed, by means of the bushings, through an area of the sub-top or attaching plate which is substantially larger than the end surface of the leg, and in turn from the sub-top to a still larger area of the top by reason of the attaching screws being spaced a greater distance from one another than the screws attaching the legs to the sub-top. This even, two-stage distribution of stresses provides a structure having superior strength and rigidity.

The optional bracing stringer l4 may be attached to the table top simply by wood screws 16, passing through pre-drilled holes 15, since the stresses are much less than on the legs. For further strengthening in conditions of extremely hard usage, an end brace ll may be fastened between the legs at each end of a table. Brace I! will have the ends secured to the two legs and the upper edge secured to the attaching sub-top by suitable means, such as are herein described for attaching the legs to the sub-top. Such braces, like stringer M, in no wayinterfere with the usable space beneath the table, but are unnecessary for any but the most severe service, such as the constant support of heavy display cases or exhibits.

Where a round top table 18 as in Fig. 9 is desired, legs H] are fastened individually to subtops 20. Holes 2|, 2! receive screws 23 fastening into bushings 22, 21, which are secured by pins 24, 28, Figs. 12 and 13, mounted in bores 25, 29, and holes 26, 30, formed in the top and legs in the same manner as previously described in connection with the illustrations in Figs. and 6, and providing the same advantages. In addition to superior strength and utility, this design provides a table of simple, clean lines, pleasing to the eye and highly suitable to modern architectural styling trends.

Pins 8, 9, 24 and 28 are positioned to extend transversely of the grain of the wood in order to obtain the greatest stress distribution and reduce any tendency of the wood to split.

The sub-top is of a size that is substantially larger than the abutting end of a leg or legs so that the leg attaching bushings are spaced in wardly a suflicient distance from the edges to substantially eliminate the likelihood of their splitting the wood. The means for attaching the sub-top to the under side of the top can therefor be located a substantial distance away from the legs. The area of the sub-top occupies only sufficient space on the under side of the top to efficiently attach the legs and provide a top support while providing minimum interference to use of the space under the top, particularly at the sides. The shape of the sub-top is varied according to its use to support two legs and again where it is used on a rounded form of table, as shown.

The invention claimed is:

1. An apronless wood table composed only of a top having an unobstructed under surface and a plurality of leg assemblies; said top having embedded in said under surface a plurality of internally threaded, metal, fastener-receiving bushings, said bushings having an end surface flush with. said under surface of said top and accessible there to receive threaded top fasteners in attachment of said leg assemblies to said top; said leg assemblies'each comprising a sub-top having fiat parallel faces and at least one leg having an end abutting against the under face thereof and attached thereto, said legs each having embedded in said abutting end a plurality of internally threaded, metal, fastener-receiving bushings, said bushings having an end surface flush with said abutting end and accessible there to receive threaded leg fasteners in attachment of said legs to said sub-top; said sub-tops each having a plurality of threaded metal leg fasteners extending transversely therethrough in predetermined positions matching the positions of said internally threaded bushings embedded in said leg ends and engageable with said bushings in attachment of said legs to said sub-tops, said sub-tops further having a plurality of threaded metal top fasteners extending transversely therethrough, oppositely to said leg fasteners, in predetermined positions matching the positions of said internally threaded bushings embedded in the under surface of said top and engageable with said bushings in attachment of said leg assemblies to said top, said top fasteners and said matching bushings in said top being spaced outwardly from said leg fasteners and said matching bushings in said leg ends beyond the periphery of said abutting end of said legs.

2. In an apronless wood table as claimed in claim 1, means retaining said threaded fastenerreceiving bushings in said top comprising a plurality of pins each engaged in a transverse bore in the inner end of at least one of said bushings and extending beyond said bushings in connecting aligned bores in said top extending inwardly from an adjacent edge of said top; and means retaining said threaded fastener-receiving bushings in said legs comprising a plurality of pins each engaged in a transverse bore in the inner end of at least one of said bushings and extending beyond said bushings in connecting aligned bores in said legs extending inwardly from an adjacent longitudinal surface of said legs.

JAN STRENG.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

